Countering concerns that patients may be put at risk by the walkout, the BMJ article reports that during previous doctor strikes, death rates remained the same, or decreased in developed countries.
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A new analysis of strikes around the world, including the United Kingdom, found no evidence that death rates among patients increase on strike days.
The only report of increased mortality associated with strike action was from South Africa, where the odds of death increased at one hospital during a 20-day strike in 2010.
The Health Secretary had rejected mediation, insisting on direct talks between doctors and Government.
They concluded that patients would not come to “serious harm” provided that adequate provisions are made for emergency care.
The strike could force hospitals to close outpatient clinics and cancel non-urgent operations.
The strikes were backed by 98 per cent of those who voted in an escalating row with the Government over new contracts. Only emergency care will be provided for 24 hours from 8am on December 1, followed by full walkouts from 8am to 5pm on December 8 and 16.
Acas talks will begin at 10am on Thursday.
A spokesman for the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) said: “We are pleased that the parties involved in the junior doctors’ dispute have agreed to try Acas conciliation talks”.
“We really don’t want to do it but if strike action is the only way Jeremy Hunt will listen then we will strike”, said Chris, who added that he frequently worked unpaid overtime because patients needed looking after.
“Whilst I believe the right thing to do is to return to the negotiating table directly, it is clear that any talks are better than strikes”.
“Importantly, Jeremy Hunt must finally remove his threat of imposition in order to defer Tuesday’s industrial action”.
Doctors are angry about changes to their working contracts created to provide a health services which operatres “seven days a week”.
Ninety-eight per cent of doctors balloted said they were in favour of downing tools over the issue.
Currently, 7pm to 7am on weekdays and the whole of the weekend attracts a premium rate.
The research team was led by David Metcalfe, an expert in trauma surgery at University Hospital Coventry, who is on a Fulbright scholarship at Harvard.
However, for some doctors, industrial action is inconsistent with their over-riding duty to advocate for their patients.
Doctors are “naive” if they think no harm will come to patients during strikes, analysts at Harvard Medical School have said, after studying the impact of previous walkouts.
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The trust said it would be working to ensure urgent and emergency care could continue during the action. Other possibilities are that doctors are better rested during strike periods and that the number of staff required to avert patient deaths is comparatively low. But that was largely viewed as a damp squib, with the Government estimating only 8 per cent took part. For example, during a 1999 strike in Spain, junior doctors in A&E were replaced by more senior doctors.
